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September 16, 2016

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Zhang makes last 8 in Tokyo

LOCAL favorite Naomi Osaka was bundled out of the Japan Women’s Open by China’s Zhang Shuai yesterday, piling more misery on beleaguered tournament organizers.

After losing the top two seeds earlier in the week, sixth seed Zhang overpowered 18-year-old Osaka 6-3, 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals in Tokyo.

Zhang, a relative late bloomer who has enjoyed a breakthrough year at the age of 27, reaching the last eight of the season’s first grand slam in Melbourne, left Osaka chasing shadows as she smacked winners past the Japanese almost at will.

Osaka, born of a Japanese mother and Haitian father and who models her game on Serena Williams, felt she had lost the match before stepping on court and her frustration boiled over in the first set when she hurled her racquet to the floor in disgust.

“I probably out-thought myself,” she told reporters. “I was thinking too much when I really should have kept it much more simple.”

Zhang saved four of five break points she faced and will next meet Varvara Lepchenko of the United States.

In other second-round matches, third seed Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan crashed out, thrashed 2-6, 2-6 by Japan’s Kurumi Nara, but American seventh seed Christina McHale lived to fight another day by beating Sweden’s Rebecca Peterson 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (4).

Nara secured the win when she broke Putintseva’s serve in the final game of the second set and will next face Jana Cepelova of Slovakia.

Elsewhere, American Alison Riske crushed Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus 6-3, 6-1, while Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic beat Magda Linette of Poland 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-3.




 

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